The National tribune., 1887-07-07
A DRUM SOLO
An Open letter to AdPt-Gen. Drum Concerning
Those Flags.

nm WYNN LctIcE W AuJ l-ueus Drum concerning
Those Flags.
AdTtGen. R. G. DRUM, Washington, d. G.
GENERAL: have read with great interest
what purports to be your remarkable reasons
for the return to the several State Departments
OF the Union the flags in your custody, includ-
ing those captured by the Northern soldiers in
the war of the rebellion. You are quoted "a
saying that this action is not due to outside
pressure, but is the deliberate voluntary act.
long contemplated by the Department. Do Won
not know that that admission stamps the mo-
tives of the responsible parties to this act "a
most base and ignOble? Since no one asks for
the preparation of this humiliating outrage.
why make of yourself political Jonah TO
wound the feelings of every decent, self-re-
speeding soldier, North and SOuth2
How dare you assert that it serves no good
purpose TO treasure up these relics of her0ism
and self-sacrifce? How do you know that it
is perpetual atfront to men whom you say are
now as loyal as any in the land If their Gov
eminent shall hold among its relics some en-
blems of their former folly; if they whom you
delight to vouch for are as truly loyal az be-
lieve them to be, they will take pride rather
than umbrage in all achievements which attest
loyalty and devotion to our whole country
How kind of you to try and shield from imag-
mary insult those who have not asked for such
consideration at your hands. They are not
insulted" by retention of their flags by a
Government in which all have, or should have
a common interest. 1t is you, and your coad-
tutors, who insult not only those who did not
render personal service in the war, but every
true soldier, whether Union or COnfeder-
ate. Suppose the South had triumphed and
that ion-hearted soldier, StOnewall Jack
son, had lived to see the cause for which
he fought a4d prayed an accomplished fact.
Think you his would have been the hand TO
koeL the tide of ar,1
hearts of his comrades by giving up volun-
tarily the fruits of their tolls and bloody sacri-
fees, and the lessons taught in the school Of
war? No soldier ever haunts a captured ban
ner in the face of q fallen foe after the issue
which caused the conflict has been forever
buried by the clasping of fraternal hands and
the scattering of flowers of love DER the ashes
Of the heroic dead Only political soldiers,
such as are suggested by your action, ever de-
scend to these elements of strife and discOrd.
These historic relics are of the same interest
and value as are the monuments we erect 20
the fallen on both sides of the now mythical
chasm.
If it be the purpose of your Department to
tender Cancellation before it is demanded OF
expected, why not be consistent, and at once
proceed TO destroy al evidence of interneciae
war? Return all captured munitions; dis-
mantle our forts IN southern and Northern
waters; plow up our National Cemeteries;
tear down the monuments already erected and
forbid by Executive order the erection Of al
others. BY doing this you may point with
peculiar pride" to your effort in anticipating
and preventing these unexpressed insults which
now appear to be the very nightmare of your
existence.
Why build navies and repair forts TO protect
us against foreign foes since this proposed act
would render US SO immeasurahly cOntemptible.
that the meanest Nation among them would
blush for our acquaintance? IL this measure
of your Department is to prevail then, indeed,
let US pray that new additions to the English
language may be made of sufficient capacity to
fifty express the utter execratiOn of ali man
kind for this attempt to stain the page OF
American history with SO foul q blOt.-A NJ T.,
Mendon, Mich.